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Maybe it IS all in the DAC chips

I’ve often pushed back against the idea of purchasing any piece of audio gear based on the parts contained, especially DAC’s.  While the Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) itself is the key component, so much goes into making a good sounding product,  like stream buffers/jittter removal, power supplies and analog output stage that I thought this could lead buyers astray.

Still, having done that, and still thinking that I correctly warned others to avoid buying just on DAC brands alone, I have found myself after many years, returning again to vintage Burr Brown based DACs and home theater processors.  

Color me changed with experience. 

erik_squires
mahler123
4,127 posts
 

I have that Pioneer Elite DVD-SACD player in my basement shelves.  Years ago it was connected to a Pioneer AVR that didn’t have HDMI but there was a proprietary FireWire link between the disc spinner and the AVR that really sounded good.  At the time the TV was a massive 40 inch cathode ray and no HDMI was required.  When the TV died and was replaced by a flat screen with HDMI I needed a AVR with HDMI and I obtained a Pioneer Elite AVR that eliminated the FireWire link.  The disc spinner still sounded good through HDMI but lost some sparkle 

dougholdcomp
4 posts
 

My DAC is a Theta DS Pro basic III. It was upgraded from a Basic II by Theta. To my ears, it still sounds glorious. I play CDs from a Theta Jade, which is a highly-modified Pioneer Elite PD-41. Did Theta retain the Burr-Brown chip? My guess is that they did, but beefed up the power supply and added several additional ones that are all isolated from one another. The preamp is a Parasound PL/D-2000, and the amp is a Bryston 2.5 cubed, driving KEF 105.4 speakers. Bottom-end support is via a stereo pair of Janis W1 subs driven by Kenwood L-O7Ms. I know these components are old, but so am I. Your thoughts?

erik_squires OP
17,608 posts
 

My prior favorite processor was a Theta Casanova, the smaller, less expandable Theta DD 5.1 processor.  Theta stumbled with HDMI and was years late in introducing a compatible upgrade.  I suspect but do not know it was a combination of internal engineering capability + licensing issues.  Around this period, for a brief flickering moment Theta was showing a replacement for the Casanova, the Supernova, which I had high hopes for.  

I tried replacing the Casanova with a number of far-east solutions, including Onkyo and Emotiva.  The sound was just so reed thin on both.  Happily sold the Emotiva and the upgrade cert.

Sadly that Theta Supernova never materialized and I ended up with an Anthem AVM 50.... which was good sounding but had first gen HDMI only.  Now I’m going back to that with an eARC audio extractor.   That's when I realized the connection was the BB dacs. 

 

Wish me luck! 

bpoletti
1,598 posts
 

It might not be ALL in the chips, but the chips certainly make a difference.

 

kirkwallace's avatar
kirkwallace
417 posts
 

I will say I’ve only ever heard Sabre ESS chips in NAD and BlueOS equipment; not very lively or life-life in those components. On the other hand, the pair of Burr-Brown PCM58P dac chips in my Mojo Mystique Z Q let it (along with the very well designed built output stage) generate beautiful, dynamic, three dimensional and life-like sound (but then again, it is paired with very fine other components).  And my little Gato DIA 400S-NPM all-in-one in our bedroom uses the PCM1794 dac chip to great effect. I love that unit so much.

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